Quit if you’re the person in sex video, Anwar tells Azmin
Minderjeet Kaur
-July 17, 2019 1:49 PMFMT
Anwar Ibrahim flanked by fellow PKR MPs Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin (left) and Fahmi Fadzil at the Parliament today.KUALA LUMPUR: Anwar Ibrahim today made his clearest stand yet on the gay sex video controversy involving Mohamed Azmin Ali, saying the economic affairs minister must quit his Cabinet post if the viral clips are found to be genuine.
But the PKR president was quick to add that the police have yet to identify the individuals in the videos, which show two men engaging in homosexual acts.
“So far we have only heard rumours,” he told reporters at the Parliament.
“The police are quite professional and they should be given due respect (in carrying out their duties.”
He said he initially took the stand that Azmin should not go on leave or resign, but said recent developments should be taken into consideration.
Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad today said it is up to Azmin if he wants to go on leave pending a police probe into the videos.
Police have so far arrested nine people for distributing the clips, including former Santubong PKR Youth chief Haziq Aziz, who openly admitted that he was one of two men shown in the videos.
Haziq also named Azmin as the other man, a claim rejected by the minister who pointed fingers at a conspiracy to end his political career.
Also arrested was Perak PKR chief Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak, who is seen as aligned with the “Anwar camp” in PKR.
But Anwar today denied speculation that he is the mastermind behind the video saga.
He said while his initial view was that Azmin did not need to resign, this would depend on how the investigations develop.
“If the investigation is conclusive in terms of the participants in the so-called act, then I think he needs to resign.
“But if we have not ascertained the truth about the people in the videos, then he has the option to stay.”
When asked if PKR leaders were involved in the video saga following the arrest of his political secretary Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak yesterday, he joked: “Higher than me can be Wan Azizah (Wan Ismail).”
“I think there is now such insinuations. It’s politics,” he added.
He also said he was shocked that Farhash had been arrested, saying he only learnt of it from the media. He added that there is no evidence of Farhash’s involvement.
On who was behind the distribution of the clips, Anwar said he was clueless as many people had been involved in forwarding them.
“Let the police probe,” he said.
When asked if he was concerned that more PKR members might be arrested, he said no. He added that the party had already taken action against Haziq, in line with its stand against gutter politics.
“Of course the truth has to be told and justice must prevail,” he added.
He also denied talk that PKR is splitting into different camps based on differing views expressed by its members in the media.
“It is on solid ground,” he said. “Eighty percent of state chiefs have contacted me to show their support of the party leadership.”
